Restorative Justice for Londoners (3)

Susan Hall: Since the inception of Restore: London, has meeting their offenders helped victims to recover from their experience? How has this been measured and are you able to provide examples please?

The Mayor: The Restore:London service ended in 2019 and RJ services are now provided as part of the integrated London Victim and Witness Service (LVWS).
Surveys were used to measure whether victims considered they received a successful outcome from Restore:London. Of 244 victims surveyed, 31 submitted a response. Of these, 100% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome, and 87% would recommend taking part in Restorative Justice (RJ) to other victims.
The RJ service now delivered as part of the LVWS offers a case study where the victim was the adult sister of a murdered young man. Following numerous meetings with the victim, the victim’s family and the offenders, the RJ practitioner facilitated a face-to-face meeting with one of the offenders in prison. In an emotional meeting, the offender acknowledged the harm that had been caused. The victim and her family feel they have taken positives from the process and wanted to move on with their lives as best they could.